Reclosable tamper-proof carton



Sept. 14, 1965 K. D. BIXLER REGLOSABLE TAMPERPROOF CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1964 Kenna/l2 0. BMW

BY -KARL Cllloo s ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,206,103 RECLOSABLE TAMPER-PROOF CARTON Kenneth D. Bixler, Huntington, N.Y., assignor to Diamond International Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No. 383,402 3 Claims. (Cl. 22951) This invention relates generally to cartons produced from a one-piece blank and more particularly to an improved tamper-proof, reclosable carton including a hinged lid having a tear-strip closure.

Cartons of this general character are particularly adapted for the packaging of food products, ice cream or the like, where it is desired to package and quick freeze the product, or package the product in a substantially viscous state and subsequently freeze the product, for example.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved carton produced from a one-piece blank which includes a hinged lid and a tear strip extending continuously about three adjacent sides of the carton.

Other objects of the present invention are to produce a novel carton formed from a one-piece blank which is conformed to provide optimum stock usage with a minimum of waste, to provide a carton which is positively open to the maximum and in which a tear-strip or zippertype opening frees three sides to permit lifting of the hinged lid to provide a carton which is readily reclosed and in which the lid or cover will stay closed due to frictional contact with vertically projecting sides of the carton; to provide a carton which provides maximum access to the carton and is particularly adapted for packaging ice cream, ices or the like; to provide a carton that is substantially leak-resistant where interlocking flaps substantially obviate leakage of viscous liquid past the edges thereof; to provide a carton in which free edges of the panels of the carton have an adhesive seal adjacent thereto to prevent leaking; and finally to provide a carton in which portions of the side closure flaps provide a shearing edge to facilitate initial opening of the carton and separation of the hinged lid from the side walls of the carton.

These, together with other and more specific objects of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the drawings forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the novel carton is produced;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the carton assembled from the blank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the blank of FIG. 1 assembled as a rectangular tube and showing the relative positions of the end closure flaps of the carton during erection thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing an initial manipulative step and the relative position of the inner closure flaps of the carton during erection thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 showing another manipulative step during the erection of the end closure of the carton, and shows by arcuate arrows the final manipulative step for assembling the carton closure to assume the condition shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIGS. 35 showing the appearance of the carton of FIG. 2 after the tear strip has been removed and the lid is partially raised.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and first considering FIG. 1, a one-piece blank produced from a suitable paperboard material which may be conveniently coated 3,206,103 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 etc., is indicated generally at 10. The blank 10 is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis L and comprises a front panel 12, bottom panel 14, a rear panel 16, a top panel 18, and a front-closure flap panel 20. Respectively adjacent panels 12-20 are connected to each other on mutually parallel fold lines 22, 24, 26, and 28, respectively. The panels 12-20 include upper and lower, segmental fold lines or transverse margins 30-38 and 30'- 38', respectively.

The front panel 12 includes a lateral side margin 40 which will comprise the upper edge at the front of the erected carton and foldably connected to the hinge line or margins 30 and 30', respectively, are first inner closure flaps 42 and 42, respectively, which are substantially rectangular and respectively include what may be conveniently described as, a male tab portion 44 and 44' projecting from the edges 45 and 45', respectively.

Connected to the fragmentary hinge lines 34 and 34', respectively at opposite ends of the back or rear panel 16, are second inner closure flaps 46 and 46' which have formed in the ends 47 and 47 thereof, a female notched out portion 48 and 48', respectively, for receiving therein the male tab portions 44 and 44. The distances A-I-B and A'+B' indicated on the respective first and second inner closure flaps 42, 46 and 42', 46' are equal to the width C of the bottom and top panels 14 and 18, respectively. The rectangular side edges of the closure flaps 42, 42' and 46, 46' not only form a good seal at and with the respective hinge lines 32, 36 and 32, 36', respectively, in the erected carton, but also serve to square-up the erected carton and maintain the sharp rectangular appearance of the carton particularly when it is filled with a commodity.

Hingedly connected to the fragmentary hinge lines 32 and 32', respectively, are rectangular first outer closure flaps 50 and 50 which respectively include a free marginal shear edge 52 and 52. The flaps 50, 50' are separated from adjacent flaps 42, 46 and 42, 46', respectively, by cut lines 54, 56 and 54', 56.

FIG. 1 shows the inner surface of the blank from which the parts will be erected, and the blank has applied to the flaps 50, 50', respectively, in bordering relationship to the free edges thereof, a U-shaped pattern of adhesive 58, 58; the function of which will subsequently be described in greater detail. Hingedly connected on fold lines 36, 36, respectively, is a second outer closure flap 60 and 60' which has formed transversely thereacross a fragmentary tear strip 62 and 62' formed by mutually parallel angular serrations or perforations 64, 66 and 64', 66, respectively. The terminal ends of the tear strips 62, 62' extend through the panels to the side edge margins of the flaps 60, 60 for-med by cut lines 68, 70 and 68', 70'. The tear strips 62 and 62 are substantially identical, however, one of these tear strips, in this exemplary embodiment, tear strip 62' has a finger-engagea-ble tab 72 which is formed by angular cuts for initiating tearing of the three-sided tear strip in the erected and filled car-ton.

The tear lines 64 and 64' respectively form in the panels 60 and 60 the strip or segment 74 and 74' which will be separated from the lid when the carton is opened and remain beneath panels 50, 50' as seen in FIG. 6. Additionally, the tear strip 62 and 62' will have applied thereto, adjacent the cut lines 70 and 70', adhesive coated areas 76 and 76, respectively. Also applied to the panels 60 and 60 adjacent the cut lines 70 and 70', respectively, and between the fold line 36 and tear line 66, and fold line 36 and tear line 66', respectively, is an adhesive coated area 78 and 78, respectively. The combined distances D and -E and D and E as indicated on flaps 50, 60 and 50, 60, respectively, are equal to the distances F indicated on the front and rear wall panels 12 and 16, respectively, i.e. the height of the erected carton.

The panel has extending vertically therethrough and continuing to the fold lines 38 and 38 a fragmentary tear strip 80 formed by mutually parallel serrated or perforated lines 82 and 84. The panel 20 also includes a free margin 86 and has deposited on the segment 80 between the tear line 84 and the free margin 86 a coat of adhesive material as indicated at 88.

Hingedly connected to the panel 20 at the fold lines 38 and 38, respectively, are tab elements 90 and 90', respectively which have formed therein by means of a cut line 92 and 92', respectively in alignment with the tear line 82 in panel 20 is a connection tab 94 and 94' and 96 and 96. The tabs 96 and 96 have extending transversely thereacross and parallel to the fold lines 38, 38' score lines 98 and 98', which may extend entirely through the board material. The score lines 98 and 98 will facilitate bending and the removal of the tear strip which will be formed in the erected carton by tear strips 62', 80' and 62 as Will be subsequently described; by insuring good deposition of adhesive as well as forming a natural bend around the carton corners.

Erection of the carton First referring to FIG. 3, a rectangular cross-section tube is formed by securing portion 88 of panel 20 to the front wall panel 12 and the tube can be stored in a flat condition. Panels 12 and 16 will be disposed in parallel relationship with respect to each other as will panels 18 and 14, respectively. The now assembled rectangular tube will generally be end loaded; in the case of ice cream, for example, and only one of the end closure assemblies corn-prising flaps 42, 50, 46, 60 and 90 or 42', 50, 46, 60' and 90 will be described in detail. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner closure flaps 42' and 46 will be disposed in parallel relationship respectivelybeing folded toward each other on the fold lines 30 and 34', the male tab 44' will be received in the female notch 48' as clearly seen in FIG. 4 and the side edges will engage at fold lines '32 and 36'. The inner closure flaps will form a substantial seal at the tab and notch to prevent viscous material packaged in the carton from flowing past the overlapped edges, and the upper and lower edges of the flaps 42 and 46 will be sealingly engaged at the fold lines 32' and 36' at the respective lower and upper edges, i.e. adjacent the outer closure flaps 50' and 60' and prevent material flow thereat.

Next, as indicated by the arcuate direction arrow on FIG. 4, the panel 90' and the tabs 94 and 96 are folded into overlying relationship to the outer surface of the flap 42' and the exposed surfaces of the tabs will receive the adhesive portions 78 and 76', of the panel 60' thereon.

- Next, as seen in FIG. 5, the flap 60 is pivoted on the hinge line 36' into overlying relationship with respect to interengaged closure flaps 42', 46' with tab 90' being sandwiched therebetween. The fragmentary tear strip 62' will be secured to tear strip 80 by means of tab 96' and the finger-engageable tab portion or tear strip portion 72 will be readily accessible to be grasped in ones fingers. The upper portion of the flap 60, i.e. that portion above tear strip 66' will adhere to tab 94'. Next, the closure flap 50', including the U-shaped glue pattern 58', will be pivoted in the direction indicated by the arcuate direction arrows in FIG. 5, whereby the flap 50' will adhere to and seal adjacent the hinge lines 30', 34' at the side edges of the panel, and the transverse portion will adhere or sealingly engage on top of segment 74 immediately beneath the tear line 64' of the fragmentary tear strip 62'. The upper edge 52' of the flap 50' forms a shearing edge to facilitate initial and subsequent tearing of the three-sided tear strip which has been formed during the erection of the carton.

Considering FIGS. 2 and 6, when it is desired to open the cart-on to gain access to the contents, the finger engageable tab portion 72 is grasped, and an outward tension is applied whereby the tear strip 62' is removed and the score lines 98 formed on segment 96 facilitates bending of the portion 62' where it is attached to the fragmentary tear strip portion on the front of the carton. After strip portion 80 is removed, the segmental tear strip 62 is removed from the end of the carton opposite that shown in FIGS. 2-6, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

It will be noted that the lid panel 1 8 will be hingedly connected at hinge line 26 to the rear panel 16 and will have depending therefrom fragmentary portions of flaps 6t), 60' at opposite ends thereof which will be integrally connected to the portion 20 of the front closure panel formed when fragmentary tear strip portion 80 is removed. Additionally, frictional contact of the depending three-sided flange on the cover panel 1 8 will -aid to retain the carton closed after a portion of the contents, for example, such as ice cream, is removed, and it will be further noted that the lid can be pivoted completely out of the way to permit l2. user to gain complete access to the contents of the package; this being particularly desirable when dipping ice cream. Further, it will be noted that the upper marginal edges of the front panel 12 and flanking closure flaps 42, 46 and 42, 46' will engage up to the inner surface of the panel 18 with the depending flanges telescoping thereabout. Still further, the portion of the tear strip that has been removed between the hinge cover will form a lip whereby one can readily grasp to displace the lid vertically in the manner indicated in FIG. 6; this being desirable when the carton is completely packed with ice cream.

Obviously many modifications may be made without departing from the basic scope of the present invention, and therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank for producing a tamper-proof, hinged lid carton, said blank comprising a one-piece, elongated planar element symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, said element including alternately-disposed, rectangular front, bottom, rear and lid panels connected on mutually parallel fold lines in the order mentioned;

said front panel including a side margin parallel to said fold lines; a closure panel hingedly connected to a fold line at the side margin of said lid panel;

said panels including segmental, c-o-linear upper and lower marginal fold lines to which said mutually parallel fold lines and side margins extend; said front and rear panels respectively including inner closure flaps connected to the upper and lower segmental fold lines thereof,

the combined length of the said inner closure flaps at the respective ends of said last-mentioned panels being at least equal to the width of said bottom and lid panels; said bottom and lid panels including outer closure flaps hingedly connected to respective upper and lower segmental fold lines thereof said closure flaps connected to said lid panel respectively including an intermediate tear strip comprising a pair of spaced parallel perforated lines spaced from said segmental fold lines and extending the entire width of said closure flap;

said closure panel including a tear strip parallel to and spaced from the fold line at the side margin of said lid panel;

said tear strip on the respective closure flaps and panel being spaced the same distance from the adjacent fold lines; said closure panel including tab elements hingedly connected to the segmental fold lines at the upper and lower ends of said closure panels;

said tab elements including a pair of adjacent seg- 5 6 ments spaced by a cut-line co-linear with one insuring adhesive securement of adjacent ends of the margin of the tear strip on said closure panel. respective tear strips. 2. A blank as claimed in claim 1 in which said closure -flaps at the upper and lower ends of said bottom panel References Cited y the Examiner include a substantially U-shaped adhesive-receiving area 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS bordering the free margins of said closure flaps and extending to the segmental fold lines to which said closure 3111255 11/63 Skowronski 229*51 flaps are connected 3,161,346 12/64 Svensson 22951 3,165,254 1/65 -Moore 22 95'l 3. A blank as claimed in claim 1 in which one of said tab elements at the upper end of said closure panel in- 10 JOSEPH R LEOLAIR Primary Examiner cludes a plurality of spaced transverse score lines for facilitating bending thereof in the assembled carton, and FRANKLIN GARRETT, Examiner- 

1. A BLANK FOR PRODUCING A TAMPER-PROOF, HINGED LID CARTON, SAID BLANK COMPRISING A ONE-PIECE, ELONGATED PLANAR ELEMENT SYMMETRICAL ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID ELEMENT INCLUDING ALTERNATELY-DISPOSED, RECTANGULAR FRONT, BOTTOM, REAR AND LID PANELS CONNECTED ON MUTUALLY PARALLEL FOLD LINES IN THE ORDER MENTIONED; SAID FRONT PANEL INCUDING A SIDE MARGIN PARALLEL TO SAID FOLD LINES; A CLOSURE PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO A FOLD LINE AT THE SIDE MARGIN OF SAID LID PANEL; SAID PANELS INCLUDING SEGMENTAL, CO-LINEAR UPPER AND LOWER MARGINAL FOLD LINES TO WHICH SAID MUTUALLY PARALLEL FOLD LINES AND SIDE MARGINS EXTEND; SAID FRONT AND REAR PANELS RESPECTIVELY INCLUDING INNER CLOSURE FLAPS CONNECTED TO THE UPPER AND LOWER SEGMENTAL FOLD LINES THEREOF, THE COMBINED LENGTH OF THE SAID INNER CLOSURE FLAPS AT THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID LAST-MENTIONED PANELS BEING AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID BOTTOM AND LID PANELS; SAID BOTTOM AND LID PANELS INCLUDING OUTER CLOSURE FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO RESPECTIVE UPPER AND LOWER SEGMENTAL FOLD LINES THEREOF; SAID CLOSURE FLAPS CONNECTED TO SAID LID PANEL RESPECTIVELY INCLUDING AN INTERMEDIATE TEAR STRIP COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL PERFORATED LINES SPACED FROM SAID SEGMENTAL FOLD LINES AND EXTENDING THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF SAID CLOSURE FLAP; SAID CLOSURE PANEL INCLUDING A TEAR STRIP PARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM THE FOLD LINE AT THE SIDE MARGIN OF SAID LID PANEL; SAID TEAR STRIP ON THE RESPECTIVE CLOSRE FLAPS AND PANEL BEING SPACED THE SAME DISTANCE FROM THE ADJACENT FOLD LINES; SAID CLOSURE PANEL INCLUDING TAB ELEMENTS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE SEGMENTAL FOLD LINES AT THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID CLOSURE PANELS; SAID TAB ELEMENTS INCLUDING A PAIR OF ADJACENT SEGMENTS SPACED BY A CUT-LINE CO-LINEAR WITH ONE MARGIN OF THE TEAR STRIP ON SAID CLOSURE PANEL. 